Huge update

OK! Here's the massive update. Sorry if it takes a long time to load all the pictures, they were all taken between Thursday and today and it's a shame they don't all line up properly, even though they clearly did in the process of posting them. Click to see a larger version of them, then right click those large versions and go to Properties to read the title. It takes too much time to explain each picture. Sorry, I'm absolutely swamped! Thanks to those who have already sent me mail! Your kindness is being reciprocated.

Monday and Tuesday: The class took a trip over to the Docklands Museum, where I did not take any pictures. But, I did see a cool mosaic on the floor of the Jubilee Tube Station on the Isle of Dogs and added my own touch at left. The following pictures are all on the roof of St. Pauls Cathedral. That place is massive. Not being religious myself I did not feel very keen going there (visited the pub before hand). But, that was until I wandered behind the High Alter, which was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt in a spectacular homage to the Americans who died stationed, or on their way to the UK. Every piece of artwork in the far end of the the building was riddled with American easter eggs and intricacies that were so beautiful and infinite that it was incredibly moving. I could not swallow and was getting all choked up, so I had to leave. I just could not imagine how sympathetic a whole nation could feel towards another, especially a bully country like the US, enough to rebuild a whole wing of an iconic building like St. Pauls in honor of them. It made me think of what it must have been like to be respected, and it was quite overwhelming. If you don't take to the religion, you can atleast appreciate the masterful art on the walls in the form of the empathy of a crumbled, hurting, selfless metropolis. I wish cameras were allowed, I would have taken a picture. I was only trying to find the bathroom, so I definately did not expect to me shaken to tears by the sheer beauty (and symbolic meaning) of anything. It was a beautiful day for pictures too. The one on the bottom right is in the direction of our flat, can you see it?




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Sunday: Chinese New Year! I was chuckling inside to hear the Chinese ambassador say "It brings me great preasure..." The dragon dance is supposed to bring good fortune for the coming year by warding off bad spirits. Before they dance they must be awakened by dotting their eyes. Then, they begin stirring, first slightly, then violently. It was pretty wild when the dancers would swoop the dragon prop low to the ground because they all had to jump over it. I couldn't snap a good picture of the dragons because I was too far away, but I did get a picture of what I've come to believe is a Santa-like figure in Chinese culture. He was handing out red envelopes, which I haven't learned about since third grade. In mine was a 10p coin.

Saturday: Chris and John and I went to Portobello Road Market. Before going I heard people say you can find anything there. Let me assure you, you can indeed find anything. I saw these huge silver binoculars on a tripod. They looked a bit like tourist binocs that you may see on the Empire State Building. I asked what they were from and the man running the kiosk told me they were from the Berlin wall and that they could be mine for only £9,000. I settled for this Stylophone for 85. It came with all its original demonstration records too. You know it has got to be cool if the box has a picture of a guy playing a tear-drop electric guitar! Also, there was a surf band called the Hightown Crows that was playing on Portobello. The drum/suitcase setup was sweet, and the guitar was "only 15 quid!"

Friday: The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain was phenomenal. Dry humour and excellent musicianship. During the intermission, and after the show, I had the good fortune to talk to all eight of the members. Amazingly personable. I brought my ukulele too, and they all signed it. The bass player told me, "You know, now that we've signed it, it's worth nothing!" The stamp they used to mark my hand for admission was a little ukulele fret board.





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Thursday: Rob and I went letterboxing in the area I first tried the week after I arrived. We totally found two of them, the third was no longer there. The first one was hidden in the foliage of this tropical tree "presided over by four creepy dolphin-riding cherubs." The second was a bit harder to find, because the description was debateable. It was hidden in a "snarl of pipes" near The Tower of All Hallows Staining, but which snarl? We figured it out. The missing box was near this mural on Cable Street. Painted in memory of the occurence on Oct 4, 1936. Near our flat I noticed the flowers were blooming, even though it snowed that day. I smelled them first!

Cheers, finally,
-Ben